Mikie Sherrill claims Congress members gave 'reconnaissance' tours day before Capitol raid
Mikie Sherrill claims Congress members gave 'reconnaissance' tours day before Capitol raid
In a live webcast Tuesday evening,
Rep. Mikie Sherrill, D-11, made a startling claim that some members of Congress led groups of people through the Capitol Building on a "reconnaissance" tour one day before the riot that laid a deadly siege on the government's legislative branch.
During the Facebook Live, Sherrill, a Montclair resident, addressed her constituents to explain why she voted for a resolution to implore Vice President Mike Pence to remove President Donald Trump from office by invoking the 25th Amendment, and, after that measures foreseen failure, why she intends to support an article of impeachment against Trump for "incitement of insurrection."
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But after laying out her many reasons for seeking Trump's removal, she set her sights on congressional colleagues who, she said, abetted his attempt to overturn the results of the election and undermine democracy through a violent mob.
"I'm going to see they are held accountable, and if necessary, ensure that they don't serve in Congress," she said, speaking sedately, but severely.
Sherrill did not specify whether the "groups" were visibly staunch adherents of President Trump's, nor did she detail what she described as "a reconnaissance," a term that hearkens back to Sherrill's prior military service and refers to an exploratory mission for the purpose of gaining enemy information.
But the military metaphor was hardly alone in Sherrill's staunch choice of words, rebuking other politicians who, she considered, opposed to the core values of America.
"For all of those who refuse to participate in this democracy, refuse to see power turned over peacefully, who refuse to heed the will of the people," Sherrill said, "we are now on different sides of this line."
And still, the two-term member of the house reserved further ire for the authorities charged with defending the legislative halls,
who face charges for their alleged involvement in the mayhem.
"We can't have a democracy if too many members of our police and our military are acting to over turn it and undermine it," Sherrill said.
Nicholas Katzban is a breaking news reporter for NorthJersey.com. To get breaking news directly to your inbox, sign up for our newsletter.
Email: katzban@northjersey.com
Twitter: @nicholaskatzban